


Behind the Black Curtain

by Freshtale_trash



Series: Kryoz Club AU [2]
Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: BDSM, Double Life, Gay, Kryoz club Au, M/M, Nightclub AU, Sex Work, Smii7y Centric (pov), bartender kryoz, college student smii7y
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-04-11 20:20:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19116994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freshtale_trash/pseuds/Freshtale_trash
Summary: I can't think of a clever summary so have some details to remember:-3rd person pov but follows what smii7y know, sees, etc.-This includes explicit sexual content-This is an au that I have created (as far as I know, this exact idea is new) where John runs a bar/"club" but everyone else has a sort of double life-If someone is out of character compared to their actual self, remember that this is an Au, they aren't going to be exactly themselves-Smii7y's name is Jaren (don't get confused)





	1. Kryoz Club

Jaren could hear the many footsteps through the darkness around him. It made him anxious but excited. Every single noise made him hold his breath, trying to anticipate what was coming next. The man he had spoke to earlier said this would be a once in a lifetime experience. He knew people with very different styles and there were no strings attached. 

Of course, Jaren knew he should have said no and took his time like any normal human would, but the idea of experiencing so many new things in one night was just too thrilling to pass up. It's not like anyone would be worried about him anyways. 

He lived in an apartment with one other guy just to help pay rent. College was expensive and extremely stressful. It was spring break so he didn't have to be anywhere anytime soon and, being 22, he could stay out at night however long he wanted. He just wanted a night to relax and try new things, go have fun without any consequences. 

He was just wandering the streets when a sign caught his interest. It lit up a dim neon blue with the words "Kryoz Club" barely able to be seen from its underground building. He lived in a busy city so a lot of restaurants or clubs would be built underneath other stores, but he had never noticed this one before. His curiosity peaked so he went to take a look. There were signs on the glass door that had a curtain over the inside. Some of the signs advertised a few alcoholic drinks they had inside, while others stated that this club was adults only. The letters bolded across the door read "Kryoz Gay Club and Bar". 

Shrugging and mumbling a "why not" to himself, Jaren opened the door with a ding like some small business or hairdresser place would have. The room was dim and lit up by colorful lights while upbeat music played over some speakers. A bar was off to the right wall and a dancefloor area laid in front of him. 

Not many other people were there. Two guys probably in their late twenties were dancing together to the music as a slightly younger looking guy was sitting at the bar, holding some sort of whiskey cup in his hand as he chatted with the bartender. That's when Jaren's eyes stopped scanning the room. 

Looking over to the door, the bartender smiled at him. He looked young to be working at a club, probably still in his twenties as well. A dark blue tie was worn over a black button up shirt. The sleeves were rolled up near his elbows and bleach blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was mindlessly wiping a cup in his hand with a towel but set it down when Jaren walked in. 

This caught the attention of the guy he was chatting with as he turned to look over as well. His hair was shorter than the bartenders but dyed some shade of purplish blue on the top, the sides a deep brown. The bartender left from his spot behind the bar in order to greet the newcomer. 

"You look awfully young," the bartender spoke with a slightly formal tone of voice. "Mind if I ask for your ID?" 

Jaren would have been flattered if he didn't already get that sort of comment a lot. He was constantly taken for a teenager whenever he was out in public. Maybe it was his small frame, but sometimes it starts to get annoyingly repetitive. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and showed his driver's license to the man. 

A smile spread across the blondes face, offering a hand. "Alright, then welcome Jaren. Glad to see a new face around here. Don't let Craig there scare you off. He comes here a lot." The man at the bar waved when his name was mentioned. "The name's John, and this my club." 

"Oh, so you're the bartender and the owner?" Jaren questioned, trying not to sound impolite. This place was a lot more formal than he thought it would be. He suddenly felt under dressed in his band T-shirt and jeans. 

"Yeah, I don't get many customers so I just take care of this place on my own. The regulars even help out sometimes if a customer gets out of control. I guess you could take that as a warning, though Craig isn't much of a fighter," John shrugged and walked back towards the bar as he spoke. 

Jaren followed so he could listen. The guy was unusually open about stuff, especially to some random college boy. 

"So, how'd you find this place?" John asked as he picked back up the cup he had earlier. "Did Anthony talk to you?" 

"No?" Jaren responded, taking a stool one away from Craig. "I just saw your sign from the street. It looked interesting." He thought about asking who this Anthony was but figured it wasn't important. 

"Oh, well I hope you know what you've walked into," John added casually, making Jaren start to question if there was something creepy about this place that he hadn't noticed earlier. It made him a bit uneasy at the way the bartender said that. Before he thought of a question to ask in response, the guy sitting next to him spoke up.

"Just let the guy hang out here. I'm sure he saw the door," Craig waved his hand to make a point, downing what was left in his cup before turning to Jaren. "You do know this is a gay club, right?" Some form of relief washed over the younger man. That's all they were talking about?

"Yeah. I mean, it was kind of obvious," Jaren rested his elbows on the bar surface. "Why would I walk in here if I wasn't cool with that? I don't mind gay people." He was rather outspoken during school and never really talked to his roommate, so nobody knew he was bisexual, despite being out for a while now. He just never felt the need to bring it up so it kinda went unmentioned most of the time. 

"See? Don't get all anxious now because he's cute," Craig turned back to John, who huffed and ignored the comment. 

Jaren slightly blushed at the compliment. Cute? He'd never gotten that before unless people were using it to refer to him as a child. He glanced between the two for a moment. It seemed like they were good friends and it almost made him feel jealous. He hasn't had a friend like that since he came out as bi. His parents kicked him out and he ended up paying for his own community college. It was stupid and unfair but he was over it now. The bills just sucked so he was about ready to drop out if things didn't get any easier. 

"Hey, do you want something to drink?" John asked, making Craig frown at being ignored. 

Jaren shrugged. "Just a co-"

"EY!" The two guys from the dance floor came over, one of them speaking over Jaren. He was sweaty from dancing and placed some money on the counter. "Another of the usual, please!" The colorful lights complimented his dark complexion as he grinned brightly. His attitude indicated he was probably already drunk, that or just REALLY stereotypically gay.

John looked from the money, to the man's face with an unamused look. "Somebody else was talking, Marcel. You can wait." 

The man, apparently named Marcel, slumped with a sigh. "C'mon man, I just want a drink!" 

His acquaintance shoved him somewhat playfully. "You can wait," the lanky brunette repeated. 

A groan of impatience came from the African American before he straightened out again. "Alright, fine. You first, new guy." 

Jaren felt a bit unwelcome from Marcel's tone of voice, more quietly restating what he was trying to say earlier. "Just a coke is fine..." John offered a reassuring smile as he set down the cup he was cleaning and filled it with the requested soda. "Thanks," the newcomer faintly smiled back, "how much?" 

"First one's on me. Soda's cheap," John shrugged. He got out a few alcoholic drinks pretty much immediately after filling the soda, pouring them into a tumbler with some ice and covering it. His hands shook the mixture as he talked on. "Besides, how could I charge an innocent face like yours?" He grabbed a glass from behind the bar and filled it two thirds full with what was in the tumbler. Setting the rest aside, he poured two flavorings of some type into the cup at the same time, filling it the rest of the way before sliding it over to Marcel. 

The drink was a reddish color and Jaren guessed it probably tasted kind of like strawberries. John pocketed the money after returning the bottles he used to their proper spots. Even though the drink was relatively simple to make, the bartender did it in a way that made it look really impressive somehow. 

Marcel happily took the glass and sipped from it, seeming to immediately change attitudes now that he was done whining about about waiting his turn. "So, is he here for us?" 

The question was extremely vague and confusing, totally lost on Jaren. Either way, John seemed to understand it like some sort of inside joke without being funny. He shook his head. "First of all, no, not necessarily. Secondly, his name is Jaren. You are allowed to talk to him yourself, you know." 

"Oh... Bummer," Marcel sighed. "He is cute though, I wouldn't mind."

"Why does everyone keep calling me cute?" The words left Jaren's mouth before he could think about it. It was bothering him a little. He wasn't used to this much attention and it felt like something was going on, like there was some big scam happening right in front of him and he was too dumb or naive to understand. It was silent for a moment before Craig, Marcel, and his buddy laughed. This only made Jaren more confused and upset. He stood up from the stool. "You're all acting like you're gonna drug me or something. Maybe I shouldn't have come here." 

John frowned and gave a stern look at everyone else. "You don't have to leave. They are just being extremely impolite. Don't pay attention to them. They were just LEAVING." He gave a pissed look at the three regulars, who looked away dejectedly. 

"No, you're all being weird. What the hell did I walk into?" Jaren pushed himself away from the bar. "Tell me what's going on or I might just call the cops." 

"Woah! Calm down, I didn't mean to scare you," John sighed. "This is just a regular bar up here, but these guys don't seem to understand that not everyone comes for the club part. They are just aggressive flirters with no self control, apparently. I don't want you to worry as this is a very legal establishment. These guys are regulars at my bar, but they also work alongside me as part of a... Hosting service, per say, in the back."

Jaren blushed as he looked between them. "Why were you acting like it's some inside secret then, if it's legal."

"I didn't want to scare you off. We almost never get people who just walk in here and I am perfectly happy serving a regular bar customer. Of course, these guys only see people as clients," John tried to appease Jaren's worries. "We would never do anything like drugging people or forcing them into anything they don't want. Only safe, sane, and consensual. And if somebody doesn't come here for that, THEY," he glared at the 'regulars', "should see that and leave you alone."

"Safe, sane, and- is this some kind of bdsm club?" Jaren gave a surprised look at the owner. He had to admit, it was kind of funny how he managed to get himself into crazy situations like this. A faint chuckle escaped his lungs. This time it was everyone else's turn to look confused. 

John had to take a moment to process that Jaren was even laughing in the first place. "What's... funny?" He looked between his workers, then back at the customer. 

"I should go wandering more often," Jaren talked out loud mostly to himself. "It's not everyday you come across some kinky sex workers who start hitting on you." More than anything, he was just glad they seemed to be telling the whole truth now. The way the owner talked, they seemed really professional about it too. 

The laughter was contagious, making a smile spread to John's face. "Is this a good thing, then?" He asked while raising a brow. 

Jaren shrugged through his chuckles. "I don't know, man. I can confidently say I've never been in this situation before." He surprised the others when he moved back to where he was before and sat down on the bar stool again. His posture was oddly calm as he drank from the soda cup he hadn't yet touched. 

The men shared curious glances before Marcel was the one to speak up, "what's that supposed to mean? You're just gonna stay here now? Like, just sit here and drink some coke?" 

"I dunno..." Jaren replied and thought to himself for a second. "I just came here to get my mind off school and stuff. College sucks. You guys seem like reasonable people." He couldn't believe he was casually talking with people who were probably all sadists on the inside. It really did peak his interest. What would it be like to be a part of something like this, having this different kind of persona? It seems kind of like a double life in his mind. One person to buddies and the public, then a whole different person in bed. 

"Are you," John emphasized that first part with surprise, "interested in our hosting services?" 

The idea intrigued him, Jared legitimately thinking about it. It all seemed pretty strictly professional and safe if the owner meant what he was saying. "What's it like?" The question seemed natural to ask, "doing things like bdsm."

"Well it all depends on the person and preference," John stated honestly. "Bdsm isn't just one direct thing. There are lots of subsections and the experience is very different in each one. That's why we have a big range of guys here. Everyone has their preference and each host is skilled in different things. All of us have different styles and it's my goal to make people feel comfortable. This place was made to be a safe environment for people who want to maybe try things out, see what they like and don't like, find their limits. It's a once in a lifetime experience to be hosted like this for the first time, and you can avoid future commitment. Of course, some people do come back every once and a while to take a break from the mundane world." 

Jaren just sat there in silence for a moment, processing all that new information. Even he found it weird when his interest only grew. "No commitment?" The words finally left his mouth and now he couldn't take the question back.

"No strings attached whatsoever. If you ever want to stop, we'll stop immediately. The most important thing is consent and us hosts put all of our own desires aside for those that visit us," John confirmed. 

A blush bloomed on Jaren's cheeks, in too deep now to stop. "So is there more of you then? Or just four? I mean, 'cause you said there are so many different subsections or something." 

"Oh, no, quite a few more guys work here also. They're just off doing something else. Many of them have different mundane jobs too, so they can pay for rent and stuff. Anthony was actually supposed to be out finding some people, but he probably just stopped trying and is out getting drunk or something," John smiled politely at Jaren. 

"I actually think Brock and Tyler are in the back here too," Craig commented with a shrug. "Last I saw, Brock was showing off some stuff he bought recently. I wouldn't be surprised if Ty fell asleep listening." 

It was weird to hear these people talk so casually about stuff like this. Jaren thought they'd be having much weirder, probably kink-related conversations as sex workers. Though, he supposed they are still just people and have their own normal lives too, or 'mundane' as they put it. 

"You seem to be asking many questions," Marcel pointed out. "Are you thinking about our offer?" Jaren could see the lanky man step on Marcel's foot out of the corner of his eye. 

The so far unnamed man gave his partner an almost angry look, mumbling a quiet "leave him alone." 

"Ow!" Marcel huffed and crossed his arms, glaring at the tall brunette. They started to argue with each other a bit. John rolled his eyes but just tried to ignore their bickering. 

"It's fine," Jaren brushed it off with a hand gesture. "That actually sounds interesting. I've never really done anything like that before." They all looked at him with surprise.

Craig raised an eyebrow, "you're a virgin?" 

Jaren chuckled, "no, no. I just mean the whole bdsm thing. It interests me." He shrugged. It was true, he was curious and honestly had nothing better to do with his time. There were different roles in bdsm that he has heard about, so he couldn't help looking between the guys, trying to figure out what they would all act like in bed.

"Does that mean you want to try it? This is one of the safest environments to explore these kinds of relationships," John offered respectfully. 

Jaren thought for a moment before shrugging again, "why not? Never know what it's like if you never try." He was tired of being the quiet kid. He wanted to do something exciting and reckless for once. 

The boys all smiled but John had to ask another question, "do know any preferences right away?" 

Jaren thought for a moment before shaking his head, "I mean, I bottom. That's about it. I'm kinda open to anything- well, that's a lie, but most things." Craig gave him a knowing smile, as if there was some sort of inside joke with what Jaren had said. 

"One of us!" Craig joked and chuckled, basically lighting up with excitement. 

"Would you like many choices then? Or just want to try a little bit of everything?" John offered, ignoring Craig again. 

Jaren shrugged, "it'd be interesting to at least learn about all the different types, like you said."

"In that case, allow me to introduce everyone," John grinned. Jaren was about to ask what he meant since he was already technically introduced to most of these guys, like Craig, but just shut up and followed the bartender when he headed towards the back. 

There were long black curtains strung from the ceiling to separate the bar from the back 'club'. John simply held them aside with his arm and stepped over to let the others follow. Marcel was quick to down his drink so he could come with, leaving the now empty glass on the bar surface. 

The back was not as dark as the bar, but still kind of dimly lit. There weren't all the colorful dance lights either. The music got muffled just slightly when John let the curtains close. It seemed a lot more distant now, as if this was a whole new place entirely. 

The first room was a lounge-type area. There were comfortable chairs and a couch, a carpet on the floor adding to the stylistic look of the room. A few doors lined the back wall. A door near the corner had a sign screwed into it that simply said 'private'. The rest of the doors were not labeled, but each one was a slightly different shade of wood. 

Jaren just stood there looking around for a moment before John took a place beside him, talking calmly with an almost proud smile on his face. 

"It's not what you expected, is it? I can tell by the look on your face. Each room is stylized for certain hosts. Many share rooms because they come here at different times." John gestured his hand towards all the doors. "Craig, would you mind getting the others here?" 

Craig gave one swift nod before peering into the room with the lightest shade of wood. His posture straightened out a bit suddenly. A big, strong looking hand was all Jaren could see beyond the door when it reached out and pet through Craig's hair gently. Craig leaned into the touch happily until it stopped. He was talking but the muffled music made it a bit difficult to pay attention to the quiet words from where he was standing. 

A vary tall man stepped out of the room once Craig moved aside. He seemed almost like a giant standing next to the relatively short Craig. Another man followed behind as they walked over to Jaren and the others. The guy in back looked probably the most shy out of all of them. Although he wasn't actually being shy, just a lot less 'out there' than everyone else, more reserved. 

Once everyone was close, in some sort of circle almost, John turned to face Jaren. "Allow us to officially introduce ourselves." He gestured vaguely towards the African American of the group to start.

"Marcel, prodomme and rigger," he introduced himself. 

Jaren immediately had to try deciphering what those new terms meant. John quickly noticed his lost expression and made a gesture for Marcel to try again with simpler terms. 

"Male dominatrix," he tried to make it easier. "Y'know, professional sadist with bondage and stuff." 

Those terms were much more familiar to Jaren. He'd read about things like that online a lot. It was the most common thing people associated with BDSM in general. He nodded slightly to show he understood now. His eyes naturally shifted to the person next to Marcel.

The lanky brunette smiled softly, holding Marcel's arm. "I'm Scotty, masochistic servant." It was the best way he could think to introduce himself. 

Jaren seemed surprised. He had never in his life met a masochist in person before. The word 'why' rested on his tongue but he held back from asking, not wanting to offend anyone. He just didn't really understand what joy a person could get out of being physically injured. 

Since no words left Jaren's mouth, Craig took that as a sign to move on to him. "My name's Craig, but you knew that already. I'm into puppy play and cuddly sex." He grinned widely. He hardly ever got to talk about his pup persona to anyone new, and it made him excited. 

Jaren had to smile at that. It was kind of amusing or cute to imagine the colorful haired man barking and doing tricks like a dog. Now that he had mentioned it, it was really easy to see Craig doing something like that. It just made sense for some reason. 

A quiet pause was followed up by a kind of gruff voice from the tall man next to Craig. "Tyler, owner and master, especially with pet play. Also predator on occasion." With his height and body build, he looked kind of intimidating to Jaren, but his tone of voice was surprisingly gentle. The eyes of the men that just introduced themselves all shifted over to the other guy next to Tyler.

He looked up from his phone, apparently texting someone and looked around like he didn't know it was his turn to speak. "Oh! Hey, I'm Brock."

"And?" Marcel raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, somewhat glaring at Brock. "Maybe you would know what we were doing if you stopped texting your boyfriend for just one minute." Scotty elbowed him as a sign to shut up. He must be in a mood today, or was he always like this? 

"Brock, this is Jaren. He is interested in learning about the bdsm community. I was letting you all introduce yourselves," John stated professionally.

"Sorry, he was just messaging me about something at his job," Brock apologized. "I take part in ddlb. I'm a caretaker." Jaren looked at John for a moment, as if he would explain what ddlb is. 

Craig chuckled at that, sticking his tongue out playfully. "He's a daddy." 

"Oh," Jaren responded instinctively. He smiled happily with understanding. Brock faintly blushed. There was a second of silence until Jaren spoke again, directing the question at the owner. "What about you?" 

John's expression didn't change much, straight faced. "It depends. I typically just oversee things. I do have a bar to run too, after all," he shrugged. 

Jaren felt a strange feeling bubble inside of him. Disappointment? Dissatisfaction? It was hard to put it into words, but the answer just didn't feel like enough. This mysterious bartender was playing with his emotions. 

John seemed to notice this and smirked slightly. "Now that you've met everyone here, are you still interested in trying something new?" 

Jaren nodded a bit too quickly, his judgment clouded by curiosity and excitement. Everyone smiled at that response. 

"Good," John calmly spoke. "From what you've now heard, are there any hard limits you can think of? Something that you are completely uncomfortable trying?" 

Jaren thought. He really did want to try everything, but maybe he should start at least a little bit slower. "Um... Maybe not too much pain." 

John nodded in understanding. There was a seconds pause, then he started towards one of the rooms. It was a medium brown, not the lightest but not the darkest either. He held open the door and gave a nod for Jaren to go inside. The younger male obeyed, eyes darting around the room. There was a decently big bed against a side wall. Jaren had to double-take at the complete flip around on the other side of the room. 

While one side looked so normal and gentle, the other side contained a human-sized cage and a couple hooks in the wall, presumably to put restraints on. A few toys and things he did not recognize lined the wall, though a few items caught his attention. Draped neatly over a hook was a tough black leash and dark purple collar. A couple toys sat organized on a shelf, some of which Jaren legitimately could not tell whether they were actually sex toys or just phallic looking pet toys. 

His eyes flicked between this side of the room and the other, his mind barely comprehending that it was all just one room. He heard an excited sort of giggle behind him and turned around to face everyone else. The tallest man was the first to step forward and held a hand out to Jaren. 

"You don't mind if we tie you up a little, do you?" Tyler asked in a sweet yet somehow devious voice. Jaren shook his to say he didn't mind. The gentle giant's hands softly caressed Jaren's cheek, making him shudder slightly. He noticed someone else moving past them but didn't get a chance to question who before Craig handed Tyler some soft fabrics. The dom happily took them and separated the two silk cloths to show Jaren. 

Jaren watched intently and allowed his arms to be moved by the strong hands. Tyler raised Jaren's hands in front of him and softly kissed his wrists, making the younger blush at the gentle treatment. His hands were maneuvered comfortable behind his own back and he felt the silk fabric brush over his skin. The cloth was gently but firmly tied around his wrists like a silky fabric handcuff. Jaren shifted his arms a little to test the fabric. It was tied tight enough to not slip off but not too tight that it could hurt. 

Tyler smiled kindly at the now restrained man and cupped his cheek, placing a peck on his lips. Jaren was surprised how gentle the large dom was being. The second fabric was held up to show Jaren. 

"Is it alright if I blindfold you? It will make things a lot more thrilling," Tyler offered. A soft nod was the only response as the silk was gently folded and tied around his head, blocking out his view of the host before him. 

Sweet lips brushed his again in a soft kiss before he was carefully led to the bed in the room. Jaren felt the sheets and sat down on the edge of the mattress. The whole room was black for him, the other men in the room being quiet, making it almost impossible for him to guess where they all were standing. 

Tyler was right, the lack of sight made his anticipation spike and everything seemed much more thrilling since he didn't know what was going on. This was where he is now, blinded and anxious of what would be coming next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of plans to continue this and hopefully I will keep up with updating frequently... Hopefully. Also, if any of you want to see something or someone in this au, just tell me. I do need one other person from the squad or close friends of theirs to add for an idea in a later chapter, so if you have an idea on someone else you like that was not here during this chapter, please comment below. (Brian is already going to show up later)  
> Thanks for reading, kudos and comments are highly appreciated!


	2. A New Experience

Jaren instinctively moved his eyes left to right under his closed lids. The silence made him anxious, just sitting there. What felt like minutes but was only few seconds passed where he was untouched. He listened for footsteps or shifting around him. His body jerked a little when two hands caressed his cheeks on each side of his face. The unanticipated touch caught him off guard. 

The hands were smaller than before, so he knew they were not Tyler's, but he couldn't decipher who the hands belonged to. Gentle lips pressed against his own and Jaren lightly kissed back. This kiss lasted much longer than the pecks from Tyler. The unidentified man slowly got more determined and he licked Jaren's bottom lip to ask for entrance. 

Jaren easily let the other deepen the kiss, their tongues tangling together as the hands on his cheeks trailed down to lock behind his neck. There was a faint taste of alcohol in the kiss. It's presence wasn't overwhelming but the alcohol was definitely a strong one. Jaren almost saw it as a game, eagerly pressing farther into the kiss, letting the taste get stronger so he could try guessing what drink it was. 

He faintly recognized the bitterness to it. It seemed like some form of whiskey or rum. Thinking back to the bar, he quickly put the pieces together. Now that he knew who it was, he gained more confidence in the kiss, pressing back against Craig's tongue, assuming some form of dominance over the other. 

A surprised and grateful moan escaped the unrestrained man's throat when Jaren thoroughly explored the other's mouth, Craig immediately falling submissive in the kiss. 

It was interesting to be on this side of things, showing dominance over another instead of immediately handing himself over like Jaren was used to. Craig broke the kiss after just a little while and there were a few shuffling noises. 

The sudden sensation of lips pressed against his neck made Jaren breathe in quickly. The kisses were deliberate and possessive. Each little kiss got more and more rough as the other started nipping and sucking at the skin. A wandering hand snaked under Jaren's shirt, fingertips brushing against his chest. 

A deep moan left Jaren's throat when the attention to his neck got more aggressive. Gentle nips turned almost into bites before the mouth and hand suddenly retreated. It felt as if the person was physically pulled away from him, considering how fast they stopped. 

Soft hands cupped his cheek and the lightest little kiss was placed where the other had marked up Jaren's neck. The touch was probably the most gentle one yet. 

"Did he hurt you?" A whisper broke through the silence, one man apologizing for another. "He seemed to get carried away." 

Jaren shook his head, "no." This man's voice wasn't as distinguishable as some of the others. He hadn't heard it as much so he had to think about it to figure out who this was. 

"Good," was the only reply while a sweet kiss brushed his lips. The hand from before was replaced by two gentler ones resting on his waist. Kisses peppered his face as Jaren felt the mattress dip slightly, somebody nestling behind him. Strong arms wrapped around his torso from behind when the hands from his waist trailed down to play with the hem of his jeans. 

Jaren gave a quiet noise of approval and pressed back against the body behind him. The hands still tied behind his back fiddled with the bottom of the shirt that the man behind him was wearing, needing something to do other than just stay still in the restraints. The man in front of Jaren took this as a sign to continue and worked to undo the button and zipper. 

Jaren helped kick the jeans off when they were pulled down, discarding them carelessly onto the floor. He felt fingers brush softly over his dick through his boxers and shuddered. A silent moan left him at the teasingly gentle touch. He was already erect as his length was let free into the cool air. 

The man behind Jaren placed a kiss to the unmarked side of his neck, fingers lightly trailing up his erection. Pants escaped past Jaren's lips but he perked to attention when someone spoke. This voice he immediately recognized.

"Why do you get to have him first?" Complained Marcel, voice slightly distant. 

The chest of the man behind Jaren rose and fell with chuckles. He could almost hear the grin in his voice when he talked back, "you could have if you were forward enough." 

Jaren blushed at the two arguing over him. It felt good to have multiple people want him. He smiled softly and nuzzled back against the strong man who held him, grinding a little. A deep, quiet moan escaped the taller male.

There was a slight growl to the other's voice as he grinded back. "Needy, are we?" Jaren bit his bottom lip and nodded in response. The hand that was touching him earlier gently brushed against his dick while the arms around his chest tightened. 

Another gentle kiss was placed on his lips and Jaren immediately kissed back. Their tongues danced, Jaren moaning into it when an erection grinded against his back. His own dick twitched in need of attention. 

Jaren's whole body shuddered when a cold liquid made contact with his hot length. Fingers wrapped around the base, slowly stroking the blindfolded man. He let his head fall back against the tall man's shoulder and moaned softly. His hands gripped at the shirt they were playing with when the grinding from behind continued. Intense need crawled through Jaren's body, allowing himself to vocalize it.

"Please," the words flowed easily from Jaren's mouth, "I need more. I need something inside of me." The hand let go of his throbbing dick, causing him to whine at the loss. His hips jerked in a vain attempt for friction. The arms around his chest moved to shift Jaren forward a bit more. Next thing he knew, a pair of hands were gripping his ass harshly. 

Jaren simply hummed in approval and wiggled his hips to ask for more. Within a few second, fingers were brushing over his hole playfully. He ground back against the fingers as if that would move things along faster. A soft chuckle filled his ears while the fingers moved away, only to return colder and slicker. Slowly, one of the fingers pressed inside of him.

"Yes," Jaren moaned lightly and rocked his hips. It had been a while since he had last got fucked, making him perfectly tight and sensitive. The lubed finger pressed deeper until it couldn't go any further and twisted around inside of him. It slowly moved in and out. Jaren's own moans covered up the silent sound of footsteps in the room. 

A new hand caressed Jaren's cheek and a thumb brushed over his lips. Having so many hands touching him at once was a new sensation that he couldn't help but enjoy. The thumb gently pressed against his lips, Jaren letting it slip past his teeth, opening his mouth obediently. A satisfied hum sounded above him. 

Jaren moaned and tilted his head back slightly when he felt a second finger join the first inside of him. His own hands felt across the toned stomach behind him as the recognizable voice of Marcel spoke from over his head.

"You're such a needy little slut, aren't you?" Marcel purred. Jaren let out a small moan as a response, unable to really talk with the thumb keeping his mouth open. "How about we put that pretty mouth of yours to work?" 

Jaren knew immediately what to expect and leaned forward a little. The fingers inside of him curled around and scissored to stretch him out, eliciting an open moan before he felt a soft tip brush his lips. Jaren quickly took the head into his mouth and sucked. Fingers tangled in his brown hair. Jaren breathed deeply through his nose before working to take more of the length into his mouth, his tongue circling as he sucked. 

Feeling a third finger enter him, Jaren moaned loudly around the dick in his mouth. The vibrations pulled a predatorial noise from Marcel and he couldn't restrain himself from starting to thrust into that wet warmth. Jaren allowed his jaw to go slack as he was mouth fucked without control. He definitely didn't mind the sort of rough treatment, so long as it meant those pleasurable fingers didn't stop moving. 

His dick twitched a leaked precum, moaning muffledly when the fingers inside of him brushed his prostate. Jaren pressed back roughly against the fingers so that they wouldn't move away. The other man caught on quickly and Jaren tangled his fingers tightly in the cotton shirt as those big fingers thrusted directly against that sensitive bundle of nerves. 

Jaren drooled and moaned loudly, sending strong vibrations up Marcel's spine. "F-fuck! Such a good little whore," Marcel moaned freely, fingers tugging pretty roughly on Jaren's hair. 

Jaren was basically putty from the constant stimulation, his back arching greatly. He felt right on the brink of orgasm, his dick weeping with the need for friction. The fingers inside of him were relentless and the pace of the thrusts managed to fall in time with the abuse to his throat. 

"Fuck! I'm gonna cum," Marcel moaned loudly, a salty taste leaking heavily against Jaren's tongue. "You better swallow this, you slut!" 

Jaren groaned harshly in response but didn't get a chance to do anything before the hot, salty release shot down his throat. The thrusting had stopped but Marcel held Jaren there until he was finished. It was too much and he could taste it flood his mouth. 

Jaren wanted to growl at the lack of earlier warning and refused to swallow everything. The second he was freed to pull back, he quickly spit the rest out at Marcel in protest. 

A growl sounded above him and Marcel had to restrain himself from slapping the younger male. "You brat!" 

Jaren wanted to make a cocky remark but couldn't manage anything but a hoarse moan when the hands from around his chest reached down to lightly stroke his shaft. The touch happened at the exact moment the fingers inside him hit his prostate and his orgasm ripped through him without warning. 

Jaren cried out in pleasure as the hot, sticky substance shot onto his own shirt. His body wanted to calm down while the fingers from inside of him retreated, but the hand on his length kept stroking despite a whimper of protest that left past his teeth. 

"Someone needs to teach this brat a lesson!" Marcel snapped. He heard a singular chuckle from another place in the room. 

Finally, the hand stopped and Jaren tried to relax back against the body still behind him. He was panting tiredly but, instead of getting laid down, two hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him shakily to his feet. 

He had no idea what was going to happen now, hoping desperately that he wouldn't get hurt. He had told them he didn't want pain and they said this was going to be safe. Thankfully he was simply held upright for a moment before he was lightly pushed back onto the bed. 

Jaren's breath hitched at the quick movement but he easily relaxed at the feel of the sheets beneath him. He was moved a bit, now on his stomach, his shirt riding up as his knees were underneath him. Listening as best as he could, Jaren hardly heard anything that could tell him what was happening now.

He felt hands grip his waist and his ass was positioned in the air. Jaren barely managed to hold himself in that position and stuttered out a mere "what-?" Before he was cut off by his own cry of surprise. 

He could feel his oversensitive dick hardening again when something big pressed against his ass. The mattress dipped with the added weight, but Jaren didn't get a chance to reply before the tip slowly pressed inside of him. He whimpered at the overstimulation. 

A moan forced it's way past Jaren's lips when the coldly lubed dick rested almost all the way inside of him. Just the size had him unable to keep his hips in the air, hands gripping his waist to keep him up. His erection throbbed from having already cum once. It was like all of Jaren's senses stopped working except touch when a steady pace was started, his body rocking with the thrusts. 

The thrusts slowly got faster and rougher as Jaren lost himself in the insanely intense pleasure. He was seeing stars by the time his ears registered a voice in the room.

"Subs like you need to be taught to behave! You will be obedient for your dominants and then they will treat you! You're just a little brat! Only a real brat tamer could handle someone like you!" The voice was completely unrecognizable through Jaren's pleasured haze. 

He couldn't string his own thoughts together, let alone try to decipher who was even speaking to him. All that registered in his brain were the words that were being said and every single touch that was made to his shivering body. 

Jaren was lost in all of the sensations as the rough and fast thrusting didn't falter at all. A freezing touch gliding up his back made Jaren's breath hitch, a choked moan filling the room. It felt like tiny ice cubes rested against his fiery skin. The insane contrast caused him to twitch and shiver at every touch. 

Before he could even anticipate it, Jaren was cumming again. The pleasure of release was indescribable because of how immensely sensitive he was. He barely even registered when warmth shot inside of him, his mind going numb as he immediately passed out. 

It was like he was practically in a comatose state by the time the other man pulled out and the restraints were removed. Jaren's sleep was dreamless, yet it still felt like he was flying as a blanket was pulled over him and he unconsciously curled up on his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was probably a lot shorter than the last one but I tried not to mix too much plot up with the actual smut. Also, I'm curious if you all see the unnamed people in this chapter as the same people I wrote them to be.   
> As always: comments and kudos are very appreciated! Thanks for reading


	3. A Trade and a Café

A groan escaped Jaren as he rolled over, feeling extremely sore. He cuddled up in the comfortable blanket and just wanted to go back to sleep. His body was still exhausted but now his brain was awake, and so was his stomach. He hadn't really ate dinner last night but skipping meals wasn't unusual for him. 

Rent was expensive so he usually just ate some cereal or ramen noodles to keep himself going throughout the day, getting all of his energy from naps or cheep coffee. But he hadn't eaten lunch yesterday either, now that he thought about it. Jaren's stomach growled a second time and he let himself wake up. His eyes scanned the room. 

His brain buffered like an online video with no cell service. He rubbed his eyes but quickly remembered where he was. The mattress was much more comfortable than the one in his apartment, urging him to just never get up. 

Looking towards the door, Jaren noticed his jeans folded neatly over the end of the bed. He blushed a bit; he hadn't meant to stay all night. His legs were wobbly when he stood and his ass hurt, making him wince slightly as he walked to the end of the bed. 

Jaren mindlessly pulled on his boxers and jeans from last night. He stared at the bedpost for a moment, as if something else would happen. It took him a second to realize that he no longer had his t-shirt on and there was no shirt there waiting for him. Looking around the tidy room, he couldn't find a single thing out of place. His shirt was just gone. 

Realizing he was getting nowhere just standing there and looking around, Jaren figured someone else would hopefully tell him where his shirt was, opening the door to leave the room. The lounge area was oddly quiet. He couldn't even hear music or talking from the bar area. Trying to sense anything in the seemingly empty place was all Jaren could think to do. 

A kind of creepy, uncomfortable feeling passed through him. It was like he was in the school during the nighttime, after everyone went home and he wasn't supposed to still be there. Jaren saw a light coming from the room marked private. It was his best chance of getting to talk with someone after last night. 

Walking closer, Jaren listened attentively. He didn't hear much so he lightly knocked on the door. There was a pause before he heard someone moving around. Jaren swayed awkwardly when the person took a while to answer. He debated knocking again or speaking through the door but didn't want to come off as pushy. The room was marked private, after all. 

The door opened silently and Jaren found himself face to face with the owner. His bleach blonde hair was tied up a bit messier than when they first met, wearing a black and white striped button up. 

"Good morning," John simply stated. "I'm glad you're awake. I heard you passed out pretty fast last night."

"Uh, yeah, good morning. Sorry for staying so late, I didn't mean to fall asleep like that." Jaren couldn't help the blush that dusted his cheeks. The other just shrugged it off in response so he continued. "Did you happen to know where my shirt ended up?" A strange sense of embarrassment made Jaren almost want to hide himself. For some reason, just being shirtless made him feel really exposed in front of the mature bartender. 

"Oh, I was washing it. I figured you didn't want to leave with a stain on your shirt from last night," John stated casually. "It should be clean somewhat soon, otherwise I can offer you a temporary replacement if you want to leave now. Of course, you would have to come back to return it though. Then I would return your shirt to you as a trade." A small grin pulled on John's lips. 

Normally Jaren wouldn't be picky and would stay just until he got what he needed but, if he agreed to this trade, he would have an easy excuse to come back here again. He swiftly pulled his phone from his jeans pocket to check the time. 

"I do have somewhere I need to be soon," Jaren lied, "if you wouldn't mind. I promised my roommate I would be home early to help clean the apartment. He's gonna have some people over later so he wants it done now, and of course he's too lazy to do it by himself." His mouth formed an awkward smile. 

John just smiled back and shrugged. "They may be a bit big on you but I'll try to find a smaller shirt you can borrow." He disappeared through the doorway again before coming back with a gray long sleeve that had a skull printed across the back. The shirt was handed over and Jaren looked at the design. 

Tugging the garment over his head, Jaren realized that it actually was a tiny bit big on him, though he didn't mind. The fabric was comfortable as it draped over the smaller man's frame. It's sleeves ended halfway down Jaren's hands and the bottom of the shirt reached below his pants pockets. 

John was grinning when their eyes met again, "hey, it's not as big as I thought it would be. I'll have your shirt clean around noon, so you can stop back whenever." 

Jaren nodded. He stood there a moment longer than necessary, his eyes locked with those of the bartender. John's chuckle pulled Jaren back to the present.

"What? Are you expecting a kiss goodbye or something?" John asked with a friendly laugh. "I'll expect you back later tonight. Careful not to hurt yourself cleaning; I bet you're pretty sore." He gave a soft smile and Jaren stuttered out a 'goodbye' before John closed the door.

Jaren stared at the private sign, flustered. He didn't know what he expected but it kind of hurt to have John talk to him so... Professionally. Something inside of him just wanted to really get to know the reserved man. He wanted to talk to him casually and learn about how he is when he isn't being so professional. 

Jaren shook his head to clear the ideas from his brain. That was probably too much to ask. The owner must just see him as a client like the others. He turned away and pushed past the black curtain to the bar area. It was quiet and empty so he assumed they must only be open at night. The bartender was still in the back after all.

Jaren could see his apartment building from the entrance of the club and he looked around. Not all that many people were outside, since it was still somewhat early in the morning. Only a few joggers passed by as well as some business men and women off to work. Jaren found himself looking down at the shirt he was wearing. A light blush dusted his cheeks. 

To him, it seemed obvious that he was wearing someone else's clothes, and his general social anxiety made it feel like everyone was staring. He balled the end of the sleeves in his hands nervously as he started the walk back to his building. 

Looking back over his shoulder, Jaren took note of where the club was relative to the other stores around it, so he could find his way back much easier next time. It was pretty well hidden among the less popular stores. 

The streets were full of cars commuting to work but hardly anyone walked. It was often relaxing to just take a silent walk every once and a while but, if it was up to Jaren, he'd much rather like to walk through a quiet park. He used to live in a smaller town back with his parents. Things were a lot less busy there and the neighbors actually knew each other. 

Here you went about your day and only talked to people at work or at school. Jaren hardly even knew anything about his roommate other than his first name and his age. His roommate usually just played video games on his computer if he was even home. He often left the house to hang out with his friends who, for some reason he felt the need to brag, were much older than him. Jaren honestly didn't care as long as he picked up after himself in the apartment and kept up with rent. 

The apartment building was quiet as Jaren climbed the stairs. It was usual for everyone to still be asleep this early in the morning. That or they were all out doing something else. The building was dominated almost completely by college students who tended to party until past midnight, then sleep until noon. At least that meant it wasn't super loud right now, that's all the socially anxious man could ask for. 

Jaren stepped into the apartment and looked around. It was completely silent, which was strange, because usually his roommate was a pretty loud snorer. Knocking on the small bedroom, he got no response. Jaren just shrugged and figured he must be alone for now. He stepped into the bathroom and stared into the mirror for a solid minute. 

His brown hair was messy and when he tilted his head up he could see three or four dark bruises on the left side of his neck. The shirt showed off the hickeys like some sort of trophy, making Jaren fluster greatly and hope that nobody on the street even noticed him at all. He grabbed a comb and brushed his hair out until it mostly laid flat. 

After peeing and doing his regular hygiene routine, Jaren walked into the kitchen. He mindlessly fidgeted with his sleeves as he stared at the fridge. Holding his hand to his face in thought, Jaren breathed in the scent of the shirt. It smelled clean but husky at the same time. A surprisingly good cologne and the faint smell of smoke swirled through his mind. It was intoxicating to him.

Usually the smell of smoke would make him cringe, but this was different. It wasn't like a strong cigarette smell. Instead it was much more tame and almost sweet in a way. It reminded him of those fruity electronic cigarettes that he'd seen kids use outside of his college. 

Jaren got lost in the scent and jumped when a sudden knocking came from behind him. He whipped around to face the apartment door. The knocks were polite but he just wasn't expecting it, especially in the morning. Quickly realizing he was the only one home to answer the door, Jaren swiftly grabbed a white sweatshirt of his and pulled it over the borrowed shirt to hide his marked up neck. He came back and opened the door at the exact moment the man on the other side gave up and turned to leave. 

The man was wearing a gray hoodie with what looked like rabbit ears attached to the hood. His hood was down and his hands were in the pockets when he heard the door open. Turning around, the man smiled softly at Jaren.

"Oh! For a second I thought nobody was home. Is Squirrel here?" The man kindly asked. 

Jaren couldn't help the confused expression that crossed his face. "Are you looking for Joe?"

"Oh, right, sorry. Squirrel is the nickname we gave him," the man reiterated. "Yeah, I'm his friend. I was gonna go to this café with someone else but they had to take a rain check so I was wondering if Joe wanted to come with instead."

Jaren felt strangely comfortable around this stranger. He gave off a friendly and likable vibe. For some reason, he just didn't quite feel as much social anxiety as he usually would meeting a new person. It was like how he got along so well with the bartender. There was just something about these men that felt trustworthy.

"Um, I think he's out somewhere right now," Jaren spoke while pulling at the sleeves under his sweatshirt. 

"Aw man," the older boy frowned. "I was really hoping he could come. I have these coupons for free coffee that expire tonight. It's a small business but I like it there because it isn't busy like Starbucks." Jaren almost felt bad for the guy. He's basically just been turned down twice and he seems like such a nice person. 

Jaren's stomach growled again and he looked between the small kitchen and the man in the doorway. Maybe this coffee place would have muffins or something. He could really go for a muffin now that he was thinking about it... 

"I... could go with you. If you didn't have anyone else to ask, I mean. I could definitely go for some coffee and something to eat. We don't have much in the fridge..." Jaren offered shyly. "If you don't mind..." He looked down at his hands.

"Really?" The other man sounded kind of excited. "I'd love to have the company. Besides, I gotta get rid of these coupons anyways, right? My name's Ryan, but I prefer to go by Ohm." He held out his hand as a proper introduction.

"Jaren," was all he could think to say, shaking the older man's hand. Jaren gazed into the other's eyes for a moment. He didn't mean to stare but something about them caught his attention. The eyes were a grayish blue color and the pupil looked slightly hazy, more of a dark gray than black like usual. It almost had a textured, static look to it. They were kind of mesmerizing in some weird way. The other man, Ohm, pulled his hand back and looked shyly to the side after a little. Jaren quickly snapped out of his daze and smiled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare." 

"No, it's fine, I'm used to it," Ohm tried to sound sincere but came off more depressed than anything. He gave a shy smile back before looking down at his hands, pulling a couple coupons from his hoodie pocket. "Still up for that coffee?" 

Jaren nodded reassuringly, "yeah, just let me get my phone and stuff first." He turned back into the apartment and grabbed his wallet, phone, and apartment keys. He shoved them into his jeans pockets with his phone in the sweatshirt pocket. Locking the door, Jaren smiled kindly at the new acquaintance.

Ohm smiled back and turned to lead the way, walking next to him. "You've probably never been to this place before. Not many people notice it. It's called Suni Days. It's a play on the phrase Sunny Days. It makes a lot more sense on the sign." He chuckled. "I like to go there to think or get some work done. The owner is really nice. I think you'll like it." 

Jaren nodded in agreement, faintly giggling at the name. 

"Oh yeah," Ohm stopped walking and looked at him. "You're not allergic to animals are you?" 

"No, why?" Jaren grinned, "is there going to be animals at this café?" His interest peaked. He's always liked animals.

"I forgot to mention that it's a dog café. It's like a cat café but with dogs instead of cats. Sorry, I should have said that earlier." Ohm apologized.

"Hey, no need to be sorry man," Jaren laughed softly. "I love dogs." 

"Ok, good," Ohm chuckled along and started walking again. The café wasn't far and, ironically, Jaren noticed it was between his apartment building and the club. The older of the two was right, the pun made a lot more sense in writing. It was spelled Suni instead of Sunny, which must be why Ohm had pronounced it differently. 

Jaren could already see at least two young dogs through the transparent glass door, one of which he could recognize as a bernese mountain dog. Ohm grinned and opened the door, immediately being greeted by that dog. He laughed happily as he pet through the black fur. 

"Hey Ohm, it's nice to see you again," a girl in a fashionable apron called to them, gathering empty mugs from the counter and taking them to the back. "I thought you wouldn't be coming back. Orion missed you." 

Ohm chuckled and Jaren figured they must be talking about the dog since Ohm leaned closer to ruffle it's fur. "I bet he did, the big guy." 

Jaren smiled at that and let his eyes travel to the cash register. One other person was up to the counter, paying for her drink. He was going to look away again but heard a familiar voice talking to the customer. His eyes scanned the counter again, catching a glimpse of a unique purple color over the lady's head. 

"Craig?" The name left Jaren's lips before he even realized he was talking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you start asking, no, Ohm is not currently involved with the club at all. Also, in this au he does not wear a mask but he still does not like people staring at his face.  
> And as always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!


	4. Coffee With a Side of Embarrassment

After the lady had left with her coffee, soft brown eyes turned to meet Jaren's own. A bright smile immediately spread across the barista's face. 

"Jaren! Hey! I never thought I'd see you here," Craig said with a big, happy grin. He waved and leaned over the counter a little. 

Jaren let himself walk over to the familiar man, the faintest shade of pink dusting his cheeks. "Same. So, you work here?"

"Yeah, it's really nice. It's a shame not too many people come. I bet we'd get more customers if they knew about the adorable puppos here," Craig chuckled. His smile was unusually cute, and if he really was a dog, Jaren could've sworn his tail would be wagging like crazy. "So, what brings you here all the sudden? I didn't know you were friends with Ohm. He comes here all the time."

"Oh, yeah, well we kinda just met today... Like, less than an hour ago. He wanted someone to come with him and I," Jaren paused to look over at the brown haired man, who was busy talking with the female barista as he pet the dogs, "guess I just couldn't say no."

A sudden, quiet squeal made Jaren pull all of his attention back on the excited man. "You totally like him!" Craig pressed.

Jaren gave a quick, confused look at the other. "What?" A soft chuckle escaped him. "No. I mean, he isn't ugly, I'll give you that, but he isn't really my type either."

"You sure?" Craig raised an eyebrow, as if he was a genius or something. "Do you even have a type? You seemed to like all types last night." 

Jaren immediately blushed a bright red and stuttered, "w-what? Craig! Don't- don't just say that stuff in public!" He whisper-yelled. 

Craig just laughed and apologized, though he clearly wasn't actually sorry. Jaren went to call him out on his blatant lie of an apology, but Craig interrupted him. 

"Hey Ohm," the purple-haired man chirped happily. "The usual?" 

"Actually, I have these," Ohm said calmly as he slid the coupons on the counter. Craig looked them over with a grin and nodded. "Am I allowed to get the pump of caramel in mine still?" 

Craig chuckled and whispered, "you're not supposed to, but I'll allow it. Just don't tell Sammi, or she'll definitely give me a talking to." Ohm chuckled softly as well. It was like everyone already knew each other and were all close friends, except for Jaren. He kind of felt left out that way. Craig turned back to Jaren and grinned. "Any specific way you like your coffee? I can't do much with the coupon but I can change the type of milk and things like that."

Jaren tried to shake off his blush with Ohm so close again, not wanting to cause any suspicion with what they were previously talking about. "Um, 2% please. And can I actually get some extra cream? I really like milk..." Jaren awkwardly glanced between the two as if he was expecting to be judged. He noticed Craig's slightly crooked grin at that request and quickly blushed again when he realized what must be going through the other's dirty mind. 

Craig held back a giggle as he responded, "got it. Anything else?" 

"Do you have muffins?" Jaren asked shyly, embarrassed now. 

"Yep! What kind were you thinking? We've got chocolate if you're in a mood for something sweet, or something more like blueberries or lemon poppyseed," Craig offered. "Personally, I really like the raspberry ones." 

"Sure," Jaren shrugged, "raspberry sounds good. I'm just hungry, so I don't really care what kind." The barista nodded, asking if he wanted it warm, to which Jaren nodded back. He paid for the muffin and Craig instructed that it would be ready quickly. 

Ohm smiled at Jaren and started towards a table that was up against the wall. "You know Craig?" Jaren followed next to him and glanced over at the man in question, watching him happily start to make the coffee, before looking back to Ohm.

"You could say that," Jaren tried not to blush as memories of the deep kiss they shared last night came to mind. He could taste the whiskey all over again just by thinking about it. 

Ohm just shrugged in response, "yeah, I believe it. Craig kinda seems to know everyone around here. He's a lot more extroverted than me." A small giggle passed the older man's lips. "It's like he's got a new friend basically every day. I've kinda been trying to be more extroverted like him lately, guess that's why I got the courage to ask a stranger like you to come get coffee together." His gentle smile got wider between his giggles.

Jaren just smiled back, looking over at the happy barista. "Me too... I think." It did kind of strike him as odd when he thought about it: being bold enough to try something so crazy and suddenly stumbling upon those very people that drove him insane in normal places. It was like the world itself didn't want him to forget. 

Just as Jaren was about to turn his attention back to Ohm, his eyes locked with Craig's and the purple-haired man grinned extra wide.

"Your drinks are ready," Craig happily called as he set two mugs on the counter along with a plate bearing a warm muffin that made Jaren's mouth water. They both stood to walk over but Jaren made it to the counter quicker, not even noticing the slight bounce in his step. Craig silently giggled and pushed the correct mug just a little bit closer to Jaren. "Warm raspberry muffin and coffee with extra cream." His discrete wink had the younger man's cheeks dusting a warm pink color as he took the items into his own hands. 

Jaren was stuck somewhere between wanting to slap the cocky barista and enjoying the quiet teasing, just mumbling a soft "thank you" in response. Ohm took his own coffee and added a second thanks before starting back towards their previously selected table. 

Jaren followed in suit, taking a small sip of the hot, creamy beverage. He almost burnt his tongue but ignored it to instead dig into his muffin. The baked good was so soft and sweet that he had to restrain from practically stuffing the whole thing in his mouth right away. It had been a while since he had indulged in a freshly baked breakfast like this, wanting to savor the dreamy taste yet also wanting to quickly devour it for all it was worth.

Ohm chatted politely between sips of his coffee, starting off with the typical little awkward conversation starters about dogs and coffee to keep the silence from making things uncomfortable. Jaren was never one to talk about himself too much, especially around strangers, so once the conversation naturally drifted to how they knew Craig and if they had other friends in common, he carefully maneuvered around the questions until Ohm was the one doing most of the talking. 

It was nice to just sit there and eat, nodding along to show he was listening as Ohm went on about Jaren's roommate and their little group of friends. Turns out Joe is actually quiet extroverted and energetic when he isn't at the apartment and they had three other guys in their little group, all having their own unique nicknames that Ohm liked to use. 

They had both finished their coffee and Jaren was nibbling on the last bit of muffin as the older man mindlessly pet Orion while talking. It was when he felt a new presence walking up to them that Jaren set his muffin down and watched as Craig picked up their mugs. 

The barista grinned at Jaren when Ohm was distracted by the dogs, placing the softest and most discrete kiss to the lip of Jaren's mug where he had drank from. A deep blush quickly spread from Jaren's cheeks to the tips of his ears, looking away bashfully. A cute little giggle escaped Craig's lips before he walked back to wash the used dishes.

Jaren blindly shifted his hand back towards his muffin, fingers brushing over a napkin that he could have sworn wasn't there earlier. His head naturally tilted a tiny bit in confusion as he picked the napkin up and scanned across the slightly unclean pen marks. Jaren felt kind of like he was in high school again when students would pass notes during class even though it was against the rules. 

The handwriting was relatively neat with the simple message of "I hope you come visit us again." When he caught Craig's lopsided grin in the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but jump to the assumption that 'us' didn't just mean the cute dogs at this café. 

Jaren's blush stayed plastered on his face like wallpaper and he balled up the napkin to hide it when Ohm turned back to look at him. He quickly shoved the remaining bit of muffin in his own face as a dumb attempt to hide the glowing warmth across his cheeks. 

Ohm just ignored it and attempted to continue their previous conversation, but soon he ran the topic dry and there was an awkward moment of silence between the two. Jaren had finished his muffin by then and went to return his plate up at the counter. The female barista, Sammi, he assumed, happily took it from him since Craig was in the back. 

The silence having gotten slightly uncomfortable, Ohm commented that it was probably time to head out and thanked the younger boy for keeping him company. He said that it was nice chatting and they casually exchanged social media accounts before heading out. Jaren waved goodbye to his new hoodie-clad friend but hung back a bit.

Watching Craig come back up front and start wiping down the counter, he scratched the back of his neck. It only took mere seconds for the purple haired boy to catch onto his staring and look back with a quiet snicker. Jaren quickly coughed and looked away briefly in case he came off as rude for staring, but that only made the other's laughter become more audible.

Looking forward, he caught Craig holding up what looked like eight fingers. Once the other seemed sure they had made eye contact, he nudged his head towards the clock. Unsure of what that meant, Jaren just awkwardly smiled back and waved before leaving. He took in a big breath once the door closed behind him and let it out slowly. That was far too much social interaction for now. 

Heading home on his own, the number eight replayed in his mind in an attempt to decipher what the other was trying to say. Eight and a clock. Eight o'clock. What about eight o'clock? He shrugged as he made it back to his apartment and was quick to flop down onto his barely comfortable mattress. He'd figure it out later. For now, he was gonna take a much needed break from society. All of this sudden excitement in his life made his poor, introverted head spin. He just needed to be alone for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't the longest chapter and I'm not super proud of it, but here it is I guess. This is more of a filler chapter to be honest and I got some pretty bad writers block so I am sorry if it seems all over the place or rushed. I just wanted to get something out for you guys. Sorry it took so long to publish, haha.   
> And, as always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


End file.
